New Year Update.

15th January 2013

Well we have 'done Christmas', which was rather enjoyable, and moved south, arriving in the Algarve a couple of days ago. It is coming up for two years living in (and out) of the van and whilst not conventional life is good.
Starting with the exhibition after Martin Mere, which was in Chichester, sales were ok, and took a couple of commissions plus booked a wedding in France (not mine - I just take the pictures you understand).. Also went to the New Forest Christmas fair where business was brisk.
Took some pictures of Jade and her 3 month old daughter, some of my mums new year party guests (all aged over 80) and then set off for the ferry from Newhaven.
I am continuing to take and post a pic a day, and have joined a small Flickr group for a second year which is administered by Ken Scott (touchingthelight), the guy who got me into 365...
As we travelled south my need to take a pic got me looking above my head at tree branches for an image of a Plain Tree, and when we awoke in a sleepy French town the next morning a market had appeared around us! Just great..
We moved down to Zarutz, on the North Basque coast, which is (as yet) my favourite part of Spain with hills, beaches, some wild weather and great scenery. From here we moved a shortish distance to Bergau, and I came across the first of the 'Grey Nomads' whom I intend to photograph.This project will take me into photographing, documentary style the people I encounter whilst away in Southern Europe.
On we went to Salamnca, walking into the historic city to take an image from the city square which will be found in the opening images on this website. This is one impressive clean small city in the middle of the Spanish plains.
From here it was a place we both immediately loved....... Castro Verde, the high Steppe area of Portugal. Perhaps it was because of the recent rain and lush feel of the area, perhaps the vast open feel, with Eagles soaring, and perhaps the slow relaxed feel to the pace of life here in the traditional sheep and cattle grazing farmlands, but it felt very special. The treats were the birdlife including a pair of Black Shouldered Kites, and being shown around a traditional corn mill as the proud owner put out the sails and took us in to watch it grind the maize.
On we went and arrived to meet friends at 'Turiscampo', a campsite near Lagos, with quite a few motorhome and caravanning 'nomads' who have made the journey south for the winter sun. Although we don't completely fit in with the population that tend to travel south and then stay put for winter (we do like to think we are at least 10 years younger than most), the company is great fun and as long as we keep doing the active stuff and hop on the tandem as often as possible, the winter rally can be great fun. There are also plenty of photo opportunities and I will see where the photo documentary style takes me, along with continuing the nature pics.
In addition to all this I have booked to submit a panel of images for the LRPS in July so I move on hopefully in the photography world.